Negligence and Other Torts

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Negligence and Other Torts
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What is Negligence?

• Someone who commits a careless act that creates
  harm to another person is negligent.
• Over the past several years, negligence has
  become the most common area of tort law.
• Negligence has 3 key characteristics
• The action is not intentional.
• The action is also not planned.
• Some type of injury is created.

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Elements of Negligence

• Negligence is proven by using a series of
  criteria
• Duty of care
• The reasonable person
• Foreseeability
• Causation
• Burden of proof

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Duty of Care

• In a negligence lawsuit, the plaintiff must
  demonstrate the defendant owed him or her a duty
  of carea specific legal obligation to not harm
  others or their property.
• Duty of care can be highly specific or apply more
  generally to the public.
• Example each motorist owes everyone a duty of
  care while driving.
• If the court decides the defendant did not meet
  his or her duty of care, the defendant can be
  found in breach of duty of care.

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The Reasonable Person

• When determining if a defendant is in breach of
  duty of care, the court uses the reasonable
  person test to determine the level or standard
  of care that should be expected.
• A reasonable person is defined as an ordinary
  adult without any disabilities.
• Although this person does not actually exist, the
  reasonable person is thought to be careful and
  considerate.
• The definition of a reasonable person may also
  depend on location. For example, what is
  considered reasonable in a rural area may not be
  so in an urban area and vice versa.

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Youths

• Similar to the Youth Criminal Justice Act, a
  young person is not judged in the same manner as
  an adult for negligence.
• There is no legislation regarding youth and torts
  in Canada. Courts deal with torts that involve
  youth on a case by case basis.
• Children who are 6 or 7 years old are not held
  liable for any negligent actions.
• However, if youth participate in an adult
  activity, such as hunting, they are generally
  held to an adults standard of care.

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Foreseeability Causation

• Part of the reasonable person test involves
  foreseeabilitya persons ability to anticipate
  the specific result of an action.
• If a court decides that a reasonable person
  should have been able to predict, or foresee, the
  injury created, the defendant can be found
  liable, or in breach of his or her duty of care.
• Causation occurs when the defendant was in breach
  and the defendants actions directly led to the
  plaintiffs injuries or loss.

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Proving Harm or Loss

• For a negligence suit to be successful,
  plaintiffs must prove they suffered real injury
  or economic loss.
• The following questions are asked to prove
  negligence and harm
• Does the defendant owe the plaintiff a duty of
  care?
• Did the defendant breach the standard of care?
• Did the defendants actions cause the plaintiffs
  injury or loss?
• Was there a direct connection between the
  defendants actions and the plaintiffs injury or
  loss (causation)? Furthermore, was it
  foreseeable?
• Did the plaintiff actually suffer harm or loss?

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Burden of Proof

• In a civil trial, the plaintiff is responsible
  for proving that negligence occurred.
• Similar to a criminal trial and any other civil
  trial, defendants do not have to actually prove
  anything, though many decide to present evidence
  on their behalf regardless.
• Proof is determined using the balance of
  probabilities. (NOT BEYOND REASONABLE DOUBT AS IN
  CRIMINAL)
• If a plaintiff successfully meets the burden of
  proof for negligence, it means the court believes
  the plaintiffs version over the defendants.

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Defences for Negligence

• There are three common defences to negligence
• Contributory negligence
• Voluntary assumption of risk
• Inevitable accident
• The best possible defence to negligence is to
• argue that no negligent action occurred at
  all.

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Contributory Negligence

• If both the plaintiff and defendant are found to
  be negligent, any damages or blame will be
  divided between them.
• Contributory negligence occurs when the alleged
  victim created at least part of the harm that he
  or she ended up suffering.
• This defence is often used in lawsuits involving
  motor vehicle accidents. For example, if one
  driver was speeding and another ran a stop sign,
  both drivers are negligent.
• Courts use actual percentages to determine
  responsibility in contributory negligence cases.

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Voluntary Assumption of Risk

• Knowingly accepting factors that may cause harm
  or injury leads to this defence.
• In certain situations and activities, people are
  aware of the risks involved.
• Common examples include contact sports, extreme
  sports, and stunts.
• For many high-risk activities, a waiver is
  required to minimize potential lawsuits.
• A waiver is a document that releases or excuses a
  party from liability if an accident or injury
  occurs (e.g. a hockey league makes players sign a
  waiver).

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Inevitable Accident

• Also referred to as act of God, this defence is
  used to argue that although an accident occurred,
  it was not anyones fault.
• Example If an accident occurs after a vehicle or
  plane is struck by lightning, it is difficult to
  assign blame or argue that the resulting harm was
  foreseeable.
• Inevitable accident means that the harm could not
  have been reasonably prevented.

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Motor Vehicle Negligence

• There are several possible negligent acts that
  involve motor vehicles.
• Violating any section of a provincial Highway
  Traffic Act can be seen as negligence.
• In motor vehicle accidents, the burden of proof
  can be shifted to the defendant. For example,
  once the plaintiff has proven that he or she was
  hit by a car, it is then up to the defendant to
  argue why the defendant is not liable.
• If contributory negligence exists, any damages
  awarded to the plaintiff will be reduced.

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Vicarious Liability

• This type of liability occurs when a person is
  held responsible for another persons actions.
• Example If a father allows his son to drive the
  family car and the son causes an accident, the
  father may also be held partially responsible
  because he owns the car.
• Parents are commonly found to be vicariously
  liable for their childrens torts.
• Vicarious liability is very common in the
  workplace as employers are usually held
  responsible for their employees actions.

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Occupiers Liability

• An occupier is a person who controls and
  supervises an establishment or property.
• A duty of care is owed by an occupier to any
  guests who may enter or visit the property.
• A licensee is someone who visits a property for
  social reasons (e.g. dinner, a party).
• An invitee is someone who visits a property for
  more formal reasons (e.g. work, school, to shop).
• Licensees and invitees have permission to enter a
  property and as a result are owed a duty of care
  by the occupier.
• Most provinces have Occupiers Liability Acts.

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Commercial Hosts

• In tort law, there are two types of hosts
  commercial and social.
• A commercial host usually operates a hospitality
  business, such as a bar or restaurant.
• Commercial hosts have a specific duty of care to
  monitor intoxicated customers.
• If a customer appears to be drunk, the host
  becomes responsible for protecting that
  customers safety (e.g. not letting him or her
  drive, cutting him or her off from further liquor
  service).

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Reducing Liability

• There are several measures commercial hosts can
  take to try and reduce their liability
• ensure that all servers are properly trained
  (e.g. SmartServe certified)
• monitor patrons consumption of alcohol
• cut people off from liquor service if they are
  drunk
• arrange transportation home for a patron
• take away a patrons car keys
• alert the police
• contact the patrons family members or friends

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Social Hosts

• A social host has many of the same liabilities as
  a commercial host, but does not receive any
  financial benefit.
• Example If a couple throws a party at their
  house, they are social hosts who are responsible
  for their guests in the same way that commercial
  hosts are responsible for their paying customers.
• Similar precautions must be taken regarding the
  guests safety.

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Medical Malpractice

• Malpractice occurs when someone receives improper
  or negligent professional treatment.
• The most common type is medical malpractice,
  which occurs when a health care professional
  fails to provide appropriate treatment.
• It may also occur if the patient has not agreed
  to a particular treatment or action. This is
  known as informed consent. A patient must
  completely understand the risks involved.
• The only exception is a life-threatening
  emergency.

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Trespassing

• Torts can be unintentional, like negligence, or
  they can be intentional.
• The main intentional torts are
• Trespass to another person (assault and battery
  false imprisonment)
• Trespass to land
• Nuisance
• Trespass can be defined as being present or
  interfering with anothers property without that
  persons consent or legal right.

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Trespass to Person Assault and Battery

• In civil law, an assault occurs when there is a
  simple threat of danger or violence.
• A person may be sued for assault if he or she
  intended to create fear in someone else.
• Example John tells Hilary that he will stab her.
• Battery is the intentional physical contact or
  harm caused to another person.
• A person may be sued for battery if he or she
  directly touches someone without that persons
  permission (similar to the way assault is treated
  in criminal law).
• Example John grabs Hilary after she asks him to
  stop.

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Trespass to PersonFalse Imprisonment

• If someone is falsely confined or restrained in a
  specific area, that peron may file a lawsuit for
  being falsely imprisoned.
• The confinement may involve being held in a
  prison, but is not limited to that.
• Common false imprisonment lawsuits involve people
  who have been falsely arrested. They may sue for
  wrongful/false arrest and false imprisonment at
  the same time.
• Being falsely detained may also be interpreted as
  false imprisonment. Physical restraint does not
  have to exist.

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Negligent Investigation

• The newest type of tort in negligence, this tort
  allows someone to sue police for conducting an
  improper investigation.
• Negligent Investigation was established in Canada
  following the Supreme Court precedent in the case
  Hill v. Hamilton-Wentworth Regional Police
  Services Board, 2007.
• In that case, Jason Hill was falsely convicted in
  a series of bank robberies. He spent nearly two
  years in jail before new evidence cleared his
  name and he was released. He filed a negligence
  suit against police for the way in which they
  conducted their investigation.

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Trespass to Land

• The act of entering or crossing onto another
  persons land without that persons permission or
  legal authority is trespass to land.
• This includes throwing an object onto someones
  land or bringing an object onto his or her land
  and then not removing it.
• In rental situations, occupier or tenant rights
  are enforced by provincial landlord and tenant
  laws, which prohibit landlords from entering
  tenants residences without their permission
  unless there is an emergency.

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Nuisance

• In civil law, a nuisance occurs when a persons
  unreasonable use of land interferes with the
  enjoyment of adjoining land by others.
• Nuisance may be intentional or unintentional.
• A private nuisance involves personal property.
  If someones property is being interfered with
  consistently in a way that produces harm, the
  property holder may initiate a lawsuit for
  nuisance.
• A public nuisance involves the rights of the
  public. It is not necessary to prove that
  everyone is being harmed, just a majority.
• Public nuisance suits are usually brought forward
  by the government on behalf of citizens.

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Defences for Trespass

• There are a number of common defences used
  against trespass lawsuits
• Consent
• Self-defence, defence of others, and/or property
• Legal authority
• Necessity

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Consent

• A common defence in trespass lawsuits,
  particularly trespass to person cases, is
  consent.
• A defendant must establish that he or she had
  consent to physically touch someone (like in
  contact sports, for example) or enter onto
  someones land.
• This defence is very similar to voluntary
  assumption of risk.

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Self-Defence

• As in criminal law, self-defence may be used in
  trespass cases if the defendant can establish
  that his or her use of force was reasonable,
  necessary, and not excessive.
• Defendants may also come to the defence of others
  or defend their property using the same criteria
  for the use of force.
• In defending their property, people cannot set
  traps or harm trespassers on purpose.

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Legal Authority Necessity

• Similar to the criminal law defence of legal
  duty, a police officer may use the defence of
  legal authority in lawsuits for assault and
  battery or false imprisonment.
• This includes having to use force against people
  (arrests, detainments) or entering onto their
  property (search warrants).
• Certain situations may exist in which a defendant
  can argue that an act of trespassing occurred out
  of necessity.
• This includes emergencies (going for help) or
  reclaiming his or her belongings.

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Defamation

• Injuring a persons character or reputation is
  known as defamation.
• There are two basic types of defamation in civil
  law slander and libel.
• There are also several basic defences used in
  defamation cases truth, absolute and qualified
  privilege, and fair comment.
• In a defamation case, a plaintiff must prove
• The words used by the defendant were false.
• The words used referred specifically to the
  plaintiff.
• The words were read or heard by a third party.
• The words caused harm and/or economic loss.

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Slander Libel

• Slander occurs when a persons character has been
  defamed verbally.
• This includes spoken words, gestures, sounds, and
  even facial expressions.
• Slander is often difficult to prove as the action
  is not recorded in any way.
• Libel occurs when a persons character has been
  defamed in written form.
• This includes permanent visual and audio
  recordings, publications, and memos.
• Over the past several years, there has been a
  significant increase in libel cases as a result
  of the Internet.

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Truth Fair Comment

• If a defendant can prove that the comment he or
  she made or wrote about the plaintiff was in fact
  true, the defendant may be found not liable in a
  defamation case, even if the plaintiffs
  reputation was damaged.
• Many media critics may also use the defence of
  fair comment, which allows them to criticize the
  work of artists for the general public (e.g.
  movie or food critics).
• Critics are supposed to focus on the work and
  avoid personal attacks on the artist.

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Privilege

• Absolute privilege is a defence against
  defamation that is used by people in public
  roles, such as politicians and judges.
• Example Politicians cannot be sued for comments
  they make inside the House of Commons, even if
  they accuse other politicians of lying.
• Qualified privilege is a defence against
  defamation that is used by people who express an
  honest opinion as part of their job.
• Example A teacher writes a negative comment
  about a students progress on the students
  report card.

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Liability Insurance

• Injury costs associated with motor vehicle
  accidents are usually very high.
• As a result, it is the law in Canada that all
  motorists must purchase liability insurance to
  cover potential liabilities that they may not be
  able to personally afford.
• Many businesses and doctors also purchase their
  own versions of liability insurance to protect
  themselves against personal bankruptcy if they
  are sued by clients, employees, or patients.